Great review. I have the Caldigit Thunderbolt TS4 and run the supplied USB-C cable to a 32” 4K Gigabite Monitor and run this at 144hz (shows up as such on the Macbook Pros display settings and on monitor itself). I think there was a firmware update to resolve this issue. The current specifications for monitors on Caldigit site also shows this specification is possible. Interestingly, when directly connected to the MacBook Pro instead of through the Caldigit Dock, the monitor kept cutting out and rebooting. It has not done this through the dock. What I have found though is that at least one of my USB-A external hard drives is not recognised through the dock, but is recognises with a USB-C adaptor direct to the MacBook Pro! I have another set up using the 5k 60hz Samsung S9 monitor and have just purchased an iVanky Fusion Dock for this. (The Caldigit previously worked fine on this set up). I use an M3 Max MacBook Pro on both set ups. Will be interesting to see if the USB - A external hard drive is recognised on the iVanky. Maybe iVanky will produce a similar firmware update to Caldigit to allow 144hz on a 4K monitor in the future? Seems despite the high prices of both these premier docking stations, there is no one ideal one!
Keep me updated after you test out the iVanky. There isn’t a perfect one out there yet but the iVanky s probably the best right now. I want hdmi 2.1 for the next version.
The 2.5 GBS Ethernet port will not work with a MacBook Pro M3. It is limited to under 1 GBS due to poor design (according to the marketing customer service). The company has no technical support.
Had to do a double take, looks like they sourced the main shell from Kensington, I use a Kensington SD5560T with my MacBook and the form factor is almost the same, I may have to check this out.
That’s interesting. Does the Kensington offer dual thunderbolt 4 connection to pc and quad 6k monitor at 60hz? I’m curious if the specs are similar too.
@@JaredHoyman Thunderbolt 3 only, this is much higher specced but the Kensington retails at £80 so to be expected, I'm still able to run a pair of Monitors in extended mode from an M1 MacBook Air, via thunderbolt and HDMI so it serves well enough for now though it was only ever intended as a stop gap.
Hey solid review, your vid helped me in purchasing one but I’m experiencing severe coil whine from the dock to the point where I’m getting a slight headache. Does your dock exhibit the same behavior?
Mine does not. My caldigit 4 had a high frequency noise come from the power supply but the iVanky does not have any audible noise coming from either. You are talking about the unit and not through the headphone jack, correct?
Is there a way to power 2x USB-C Displays (like the uperfect K118) and connect to a MacBook Air M1 and use both monitors? Setup would look like: MacBook Air M1 --> connect via USB-C cable to Fusion Dock Max --> connects to 2x uperfect K118 via USB-C cable (to power those and send over the signals). That would be perfect!
I'm using this dock for 3 months already and as soon as there will be another dock supporting 3 monitors I will jump right off. This dock is overheating finicky crap. It works until it isn't and have to do a lot of weird shit to make it work again.
Great review. I have the Caldigit Thunderbolt TS4 and run the supplied USB-C cable to a 32” 4K Gigabite Monitor and run this at 144hz (shows up as such on the Macbook Pros display settings and on monitor itself). I think there was a firmware update to resolve this issue. The current specifications for monitors on Caldigit site also shows this specification is possible. Interestingly, when directly connected to the MacBook Pro instead of through the Caldigit Dock, the monitor kept cutting out and rebooting. It has not done this through the dock. What I have found though is that at least one of my USB-A external hard drives is not recognised through the dock, but is recognises with a USB-C adaptor direct to the MacBook Pro!
I have another set up using the 5k 60hz Samsung S9 monitor and have just purchased an iVanky Fusion Dock for this. (The Caldigit previously worked fine on this set up). I use an M3 Max MacBook Pro on both set ups. Will be interesting to see if the USB - A external hard drive is recognised on the iVanky. Maybe iVanky will produce a similar firmware update to Caldigit to allow 144hz on a 4K monitor in the future? Seems despite the high prices of both these premier docking stations, there is no one ideal one!
Keep me updated after you test out the iVanky. There isn’t a perfect one out there yet but the iVanky s probably the best right now. I want hdmi 2.1 for the next version.
The 2.5 GBS Ethernet port will not work with a MacBook Pro M3. It is limited to under 1 GBS due to poor design (according to the marketing customer service). The company has no technical support.
Had to do a double take, looks like they sourced the main shell from Kensington, I use a Kensington SD5560T with my MacBook and the form factor is almost the same, I may have to check this out.
That’s interesting. Does the Kensington offer dual thunderbolt 4 connection to pc and quad 6k monitor at 60hz? I’m curious if the specs are similar too.
@@JaredHoyman Thunderbolt 3 only, this is much higher specced but the Kensington retails at £80 so to be expected, I'm still able to run a pair of Monitors in extended mode from an M1 MacBook Air, via thunderbolt and HDMI so it serves well enough for now though it was only ever intended as a stop gap.
Hey solid review, your vid helped me in purchasing one but I’m experiencing severe coil whine from the dock to the point where I’m getting a slight headache. Does your dock exhibit the same behavior?
Mine does not. My caldigit 4 had a high frequency noise come from the power supply but the iVanky does not have any audible noise coming from either. You are talking about the unit and not through the headphone jack, correct?
Is there a way to power 2x USB-C Displays (like the uperfect K118) and connect to a MacBook Air M1 and use both monitors?
Setup would look like:
MacBook Air M1 --> connect via USB-C cable to Fusion Dock Max --> connects to 2x uperfect K118 via USB-C cable (to power those and send over the signals).
That would be perfect!
What dock do you use on your Mac?
I'm using this dock for 3 months already and as soon as there will be another dock supporting 3 monitors I will jump right off. This dock is overheating finicky crap. It works until it isn't and have to do a lot of weird shit to make it work again.